Beinecke MS 344 Italy, s. XV^^3/4
Lectionary
1. ff. 1r-211v Lessons for the sanctorale from Saturninus through Catharine,
including many Franciscan feasts: Translation of Antony of Padua, Translation
of Francis, Bernardinus of Siena, Antony of Padua, Louis of Toulouse, Stigmata
of Francis, Eleazar de Sabran, Translation of Clara, Francis (his life, in 9
lessons per day, arranged for the week, ff. 163v-179v), Translation of Louis of
Toulouse and Elisabeth of Thuringia. The 6 [?] leaves missing between f. 133v
(end of Tiburtius and Susanna) and f. 134r (beginning of Assumption) may have
contained lessons for Clara, Hippolytus and Cassianus, and Eusebius. A
rubricated note in the lower margin of f. 18r gives the first lesson for the
feast of "Bernardus" [sic], for Berard and companions, canonized in 1481.
The feast of St. Bonaventure O.F.M. (canonized in 1482) has not been added to
the book. The presence of the feasts of Justina (ff. 179v-181r) and Prosdocimus
(ff. 189r-191r) suggests Padua as the origin of this manuscript.
2. ff. 211v-214v Bull of canonization of Bernardinus of Siena, ending
defectively; catchword: [uer]gentes. Given by Nicolaus V, 2 May 1450; U.
Huentemann, ed., Bullarium Franciscanum (Quaracchi, 1929) v. 1, no. 1364,
pp. 700-03 (ends col. 1, line 13).
3. ff. 215r-255v Lessons for the common of saints and for the anniversary of
a dedication of a church.
Parchment, ff. ii (parchment, s. xvi; i = pastedown) + 255 + ii (parchment,
s. xvi; ii = pastedown), 357 x 263 (229 x 178) mm. Written in two columns of 31
lines; single vertical bounding lines full length in hard point or crayon on
hair side; horizontal lines ruled for each column in ink.
I-XIII^^10, XIV^^10 (apparently missing 4-9), XV-XXVI^^10 (+1 leaf, f. 261,
at end). Horizontal catchwords near gutter.
Written by one person in round gothic bookhand.
One 9-line initial, f. 1r, St. Saturninus holding an open book and martyr's
palm, three-quarter length in front of trees and sky, dark blue with white
filigree; purple foliage against a gold ground edged in black, with curling
purple, green, and gold foliage extending into margin. Full border, framed in
blue and gold, with three roundels in lower margin, right and left, hour
glasses with scrolls with the motto "Pan. se. de. moi.", center, a coat of arms
(barry of 6, sable and argent; overall a bend or). In upper margin, at right, a
smaller roundel with a duck; at center, a Greek cross in gold, on purple; each
framed in gold with blue or purple. Some foliage, as in initial, in center
outer margin; border otherwise filled with blue and purple flowers with red and green
centers, symmetrically disposed with smaller blue, purple, and green flowers,
blue, purple, red and gold dots and fine spiralling vines in light brown.
2-line initials throughout, red or blue with blue or red penwork, with
flourishes. 1-line red or blue paragraph marks. Rubrics throughout.
Binding: s. xviii. Brown calf over wooden boards, blind-tooled. Five very
small, round bosses on each board and two fastenings. Rebacked. Pastedowns and
flyleaves are conjugate leaves from a gradual (Italy, s. xvi): front pastedown
hidden under bookplates; front flyleaf with parts of the third Christmas mass
and the rubric for Circumcision; back flyleaf with part of the first Christmas
mass; back pastedown with parts of the mass of Epiphany. Front flyleaf:
[upper margin:] xxxxiii. //descendit lux magna super terram...In
circumcisione domini...//; back flyleaf: [upper margin:] xxxviiii. //die
genui te...Dixit dominus domino me//; back pastedown: [upper margin:]
xxxxvi. //mini super te orta est...cum muneribus a//.
Written in Northern Italy, perhaps near Padua (see art. 1), probably between
1450 and 1481. Bernardinus of Siena, canonized 1450, is included by the
original scribe, but is at the end of the section (art. 2); Berard and
companions, canonized 1481, are added by a different hand in the margin
(f. 18r). Unidentified arms of original owner on f. 1r (barry of 6 sable and
argent, overall a bend or). Entry from sales catalogue with heading "Folio"
pasted inside front cover; no. 1 in an unidentified catalogue of Solomons and
Berkelouw. Bookplate of Claude E. S. Bishop (motto: Virtus in actione
consistet). Gift of Thomas E. Marston in 1966.
secundo folio: Cui egeas
Barbara A. Shailor